Vanunu Goes Free

[The diplomat]

Originally posted by East Street Trader
Half a dozen countries have nuclear weapons. Hundreds don't.

If you were right to think that nuclear weapons are necessary to national security you would be able to demonstrate the insecurity of the hundreds.

Whereas you will, in fact, be unable to give even one illustration.

Security comes from getting on well with your neighbours - inside the country and outside it.

The Cold War.

Without nuclear weapons to act as a deterrent, the US and the Soviet would have probably gone to war, and started WW3. Most the world would have been decimated, and you and I might not be here to talk about it. Nukes kept the peace during the cold war.

In Israel's case, nukes are a formidable deterrent against another Arab invasion. Without nukes, Israel probably would have been attacked again by it's Arab neighbors.

[Bugs ****ing Bunny]

Let him return to Britain, if he chooses. He'll be welcomed back.

[Generalissimo]

I have wondered what took you so long.
It’s kind of odd that most the vanunu supporters were of non-Israeli nationality.
It seemed almost artificial.

[reds4ever]

Originally posted by Generalissimo
I have wondered what took you so long.
It’s kind of odd that most the vanunu supporters were of non-Israeli nationality.
It seemed almost artificial.

It's not the fact that he betrayed Israel, its the fact he betrayed his country!

Besides, if there's one counrty on this planet that should feel the need to have 'bigger and badder' weapons than it's neighbours it's Israel.

What does the 'Israeli in the street' think about a traitor being released?

[chequita guevara]

U.S. law requires the U.S. to cut off aid to any country possessing nukes that is not one of the declared nuclear powers in the NPT. Officially, the U.S. does not recognize the existence of Israeli nukes.

Israel doesn't need nukes. The last time they fought an Arab power in 1981 (Syria), they *****-slapped the heck out of them. No ME country is stupid enough to attack Israel, w/ or wo/ nukes.

Vanunu may be a traitor to Israel, but he is a hero to humanity. Nukes are the enemy of all mankind.

[Generalissimo]

Originally posted by reds4ever

What does the 'Israeli in the street' think about a traitor being released?

I think that va'anunu affair is one of the only issues the most Israelis agree on regardless to sex, social-economical level, etc.
Va’anunu is a traitor and should have treated like one (i.e. death by hanging)

[reds4ever]

Originally posted by chegitz guevara


Israel doesn't need nukes. The last time they fought an Arab power in 1981 (Syria), they *****-slapped the heck out of them. No ME country is stupid enough to attack Israel, w/ or wo/ nukes.

Having nukes would make SURE of that though! I know if I were an Israeli I'd sleep better at night if 'we' had them.

[Sirotnikov]

Eleven and a half years in solitary!

Doesn't bear thinking about.

It wasn't solitary, like it would be deisplayed in the movies: (ie, small dark cell, no human contact).

He had his own jailer. He had fresh air walks every day. He got bi-weekly visits by his family and monthly visits by clergy.

He also recieved and sent mail.

[Sirotnikov]

and to counter mobius :

Even though Mordechai is undoubtedly brave he spread nuclear secrets to states - treason. Even though he was working upon his principles what is the difference between that and other spies working upon their principles? Just because we agree with his principles doesn't make it right.
Daniel, Cambridge, England

Why all the fuss about Vanunu. When the Rosenbergs sold US nuclear secrets to the USSR they were executed. Therefore he is lucky that there is no death penalty in Israel.
Ralph Phillips, Rishon Le Zion, Israel

Vanunu was put on trial because he acted against laws and regulations of which he was fully aware. Whether you consider him a hero or not, whether you think it is immoral for a state to possess nuclear weapons or not, claiming that he shouldn't have been convicted is a spit in the face of the rule of law. While it may be easy, for some people, to dismiss this argument due to their all-around suspicion in regard to Israel, a responsible, impartial view could not escape it.
Alon, Haifa, Israel

The man was entrusted with secrets of great importance to the security of the Israeli people, and betrayed them. He is merely a traitor. He cannot even be called anti-nuclear, as he opposed the strike against Saddam's Osirak nuclear reactor. This traitor has rejected his homeland, his people, and his family. It is a tribute to the rule of law in Israel - the only democracy in the Middle East - that he is now free to continue his treachery.
David, Auckland, New Zealand

[chequita guevara]

Cyprus and Turkey are in the Middle East and are just as undemocratic as Israel.

[Sirotnikov]

I have no idea how is that connected to anything.

But Israel is more democraic than Turkey, which is a problematic democracy, but it is one.

I have no idea about Cyprus.

[Gibsie]

Originally posted by The diplomat

We all hate nukes, but nukes are neccessary for national security. Giving away nukes secrets that put your nation at greater risk, is not being a hero and it is not doing the right thing!

...

In Israel's case, nukes are a formidable deterrent against another Arab invasion. Without nukes, Israel probably would have been attacked again by it's Arab neighbors.

I thought that the main treason this guy commited was by revealing to the world that Israel had a 100 or more nukes. If this information was not already known then how do you propose that the nukes were to act as a deterrent?

Surely if he revealed that Israel has all these nukes, thus giving everyone a reason to not go to war with Israel, and they would never admit this on their own, he should be a great hero in your eyes.

[yaroslav]

Originally posted by Kropotkin
Of cource, if he had revealed the nuclear capabilities of any other country in the middle east, he would have been hailed as a hero by everyone.

and would have been executed by any other country.

[joncha]

Vanunu

[Sirotnikov]

Kim Philby